Chile Expels Over 1,100 Foreigners in 2026 After Seventh Deportation Flight

Chile's government, led by President José Antonio Kast, reported on July 12, 2026, that it has expelled 1,174 foreigners in the current year. This figure was updated following the seventh deportation flight, which carried 40 individuals to Bolivia, Ecuador, and Colombia. The flight included 28 people expelled for administrative reasons and 12 for judicial cases.

Those deported for criminal offenses faced charges including robbery with violence, robbery with intimidation, weapons possession, drug law violations, and sexual abuse, according to Migration Director Frank Sauerbaum. The group comprised 20 Colombians, 12 Bolivians, and 8 Ecuadorians.

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In just four months we have already carried out seven expulsion flights, which represents a third of all flights executed during the four years of the previous government.

Interior Undersecretary Máximo Pavez highlighted the pace of deportations, stating that seven flights have occurred in just four months, equaling one-third of all flights during the previous four-year government. In 2025, the last full year of former President Gabriel Boric's term, 1,117 foreigners were expelled. Chile currently estimates over 330,000 irregular immigrants.

The government also noted 6,384 voluntary departures of irregular immigrants, with 911 occurring after a double earthquake in Venezuela on June 24. Approximately 77% of these voluntary departures were Venezuelan citizens. Over 75,000 expulsion orders remain pending, with about half attributed to Venezuelan nationals, a situation complicated by severed diplomatic ties between Chile and Venezuela since July 2024.

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robbery with violence, robbery with intimidation, weapons possession, drug law violations and also sexual abuse